


Secrets Never Stay Secret (It's Just a Matter of Time)

by ilovemesomesuperheroes



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DCU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, BAMF Felicity Smoak, F/M, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Jealous Oliver Queen, Mystery, Past Character Death, Suspense, all will be revealed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2019-11-21 11:51:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18141833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilovemesomesuperheroes/pseuds/ilovemesomesuperheroes
Summary: An old friend of Felicity's comes to visit. The new guy raises some questions. What happened in Felicity' s life that got her involved with a guy from Gotham?





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canon divergence 2x15.

I DO NOT OWN ARROW OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. THE OC's ARE PARTIALLY BASED OFF OTHER CHARACTERS FROM OTHER FANDOMS.

 

     A mysterious stranger walked to his office area as he was strolling down the hall of his floor at QC.

     He knows he usually doesn't bother to remember the names of those he's meeting with, but no meetings were scheduled for today.

     When he assessed the guy he found that he didn't pose as an immediate threat. He was tall, dark hair, and strong. He seemed to have the build of someone who would train on a regular basis. He actually looked vaguely familiar.

     After walking straight past Oliver, the stranger kept walking and wandering about. It was like he was looking for something and it was urgent to find it.

     Dark Hair's eyes caught attention to the desk near his office, Felicity's desk. The guy started to make a bee-line in her direction.

     At that moment Felicity looked up from her desk. Recognition lit up her eyes and her face looked like she was ecstatic. She rose up from her desk chair and practically ran into the guy's open arms.

     "Dick!" she exclaimed at his arrival.

      _What?_

_Who is that guy? What is he doing here?_

     They broke from their embrace and stepped a little ways apart, still a little too close for Oliver's liking. They started a conversation, which looked to be happy and animated, but seemed apprehensive on "Dick' s" end.

     Oliver, feeling the need to interrupt this little reunion and get some answers, started walking up to them with Digg in tow.

     As he got closer he heard snippets of the conversation such as:

     "Well, it's been a little while."

     "Yeah, Jump City keeps a person busy."

     "How's Raven, Donna, Gar, Jaime, and Damian?"

     "Great, we've got some new recruits too."

     "Broke the tech I gave you yet?"

     "Listen, there's something you need to..."

     Their conversation was interrupted as Oliver arrived where they stood. They both looked at him a little annoyed.

     "Who's your friend, Felicity?" he asked begrudgingly.

     Dick brought his hand out in front of him for Oliver to shake. Oliver took his hand, making sure to apply pressure, which Dick returned in full enthusiasm. "My name's Dick Grayson, and your...?"

     "Oliver Queen, nice to meet you," he spoke with a tight lipped smile.

     After retracting their hands and the interrupted pair feeling awkward and/or annoyed, Oliver asked, "So what brings you to Starling, _Dick_?"

     Felicity' s eyes narrowed on Oliver, suddenly feeling the need to punch the fake smile off his face. _Childish_.

     If that little dig phased Dick, he didn't show it. He just responded, "Just visiting an old friend," inclining his head toward Felicity.

     Oliver decided to prod for more.

     "Are you an old friend from Vegas?"

     Dick chuckled, "Um, no, I'm from Gotham."

    _The city that's going to Hell, that's a good sign._

     Oliver gently grabbed Felicity's elbow, pulled her aside, and quietly spoke, "Can I speak to you for a minute?"

     She narrowed her eyes at him even more and told Dick they would be, "Just a second."

     Oliver pulled her into his office with Digg following (who looked like he was ready to see something amusing) and asked, "Do you mind explaining who that is standing outside my office?"

     She let out a breath exasperatedly, "What is there to explain Oliver?" arms crossed over her chest.

     "What I'm asking is, how do you know strange people from Gotham? Gotham of all places!" he exclaimed.

     She looked like she was going to punch him.

      _Back off, man,_ Digg thought.

     "Now I'm even more worried about your safety! Do you even really know this guy?" he demanded.

     "Safety?" she rose her voice. "That's rich, coming from the guy who goes out and shoots people with arrows every night!"

     "First of all, why else would he be here to visit me? Second, get your own shit together before YOU start lecturing me about trusting people. Thirdly, mind your own damn business and stay out of my personal life!"

     He was at a loss for words.

     She stormed out of the office, fuming. Reaching her desk, she grabbed her purse and shut of her computer angrily.

     He walked out of his office trying to catch up to her and say something, anything.

     Instead he got a cold, "I've already finished my work for the day. I'm taking the rest of the day off," and she left with Dick.

     Oliver stood there with a perplexed, surprised look on his face. He turned his face over to Digg like, what am I going to do now?

     Diggle just shook his head and put another piece of gum in his mouth. _He's screwed._

♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠

AUTHOR'S NOTE: if any of you reader's have more ideas on how I can characterize Dick Grayson, please leave it in the comment section.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't noticed, this fic will have swearing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick and Felicity have a little talk as to why he's visiting her in Starling City.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DO NOT OWN ARROW OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. THE OC's ARE PARTIALLY BASED OFF OTHER CHARACTERS FROM OTHER FANDOMS.

     "So, what was it that you needed to tell me earlier, before we were so rudely interrupted?" she remembered.

     They were sitting outside of her favorite coffee shop, her sipping a latte, him having some hot chocolate. After what Oliver did to her nerves and storming out from the office, she _needed_ the caffeine. _Misogynistic asshole. The audacity to question the people I'm with. How ironic._

Dick fumbled with his jacket for a moment. From his pocket he raised a necklace. It had a golf chain and at its center was an iridescent pendant. He raised it up in the air gingerly, as if afraid it might combust. 

     "Remember this?" he asked rhetorically, seeing the confused recognition on her face.

     "Don't tell me you flew all the way from Jump City and hijacked Bruce's private jet, with Alfred's help I assume, just for a necklace? I bet Bruce isn't too happy about that?" she teased.

     "I'm sure he won't be." he retorted.

     "... but you did give this to me to investigate, and I thought I'd see it through." he responded with that little, knowing smile of his.

     "I'm guessing that means you've found something on it?" she questioned, her attention fully on the situation at hand.

     "Yes..., but it's leaving me with more questions than answers." he sighed.

     "Two days ago, the necklace started lighting up and beeping. You were right about it having some weird shielding. Good thing you didn't take it with you, huh?" he carried on.

     "Whatever technology's inside of it though, it seems important. It could fill in the gaps of what you don't remember that day years ago." he finished. He handed out the necklace and gave her an "it's up to you now" look.

     "So an unknown, possibly explosive item, that could have a tracker in it by the way, starts beeping and you bring it straight to me?" 

     "Well..." he smiled sheepishly, raising his hands up in the air, "What can I say? You hate mysteries."

     She sighed, "Should've known this day would be a wine day." she rubbed her temples.

     They got up from their booth and left the café. The pair started to walk the streets in silence. She was too busy thinking while he was waiting for her to process and analyze whatever she needed to. Rounding the corner, she was the first one to speak.

     "So when are you going to leave Starling?" she broke the silence.

     "Ready for me to leave already, Smoak," he taunted, "I thought that we were good friends, I'm hurt." he feinted with no seriousness whatsoever and started chuckling.

     She elbowed him in his side.

     "Ow!"

     While he was rubbing his side like a wuss, she rolled her eyes. "We are, or else you'd be hightailing your way back to Jump City right now."

     He chuckled at her bluntness. _Never changes._

Walking in front of him and stopping him in his path, she said, "So are you going to answer my question or what?"

     "I'll leave when things stop getting interesting." he countered before the continued walking. 

     "So... never?" she questioned with a laugh.

     "Marooned, undead billionaires, earthquake machines, _vigilantes,_ I don't see how I can stay away." Dick joked.

     "So, I take it you're crashing at my place then?" she said fake incredulously.

     "Sure, if you insist," she rolled her eyes. "Plus, it's been a while since I've seen Miele and Melanie. Raven and Donna miss their best friends by the way." he mentioned.

     She visibly chuckled, "I'll keep that in mind." She arrived at her red Mini Cooper, "Do you need a ride to the house? It's pizza night."

     "I'll be over later, but I think I'll go see what Starling is made of." he turned to leave.

     Her car beeped as she unlocked it. "Hey," he turned around as he caught her attention. Felicity turned from her car and looked at him expectantly. He had a serious expression on his face.

     "Whatever's in that necklace, it's big, I can feel it in my gut," he pressed. "Be careful."

     "I think you're going to need to call in your friends, Felicity."

 

     

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just adding a couple of new characters here.  
> Disclaimer: Some characters, their names, and plot lines come from another fandom.

Now thoroughly stressed out, Felicity let out a long breath and leaned back into the seat of her car.

"It's always something," she sighed.

Pulling her phone from her purse, she needed to leave a message for the _others_. She stared at the necklace in her other hand.

"Hey guys, we have a problem."

 

* * *

 

 

After closing her front door, Felicity's keys clanked on the dish on her living room's table. She kicked off her heels and padded around her house.

She called out, "Miele, Melanie! Are you home from school?"

"Yeah!" they responded.

Shuffling feet were heard from one of her apartment bedrooms. Two girls came walking toward her and gave her "welcome home" hugs.

They were about 14 years old and a little shorter than Felicity. The girls were identical. Their skin was a tone tanner than Felicity's, along with them both having green eyes. Other than that, they mostly resembled the blonde woman. The only difference between the twins was that one had strawberry blonde hair while the other had blonde hair with brown streaks.

"Sorry for running out of the house without saying goodbye," Felicity muffled into one of the girl's shoulders. She let them go and gave a sheepish smile.

"We understand," Miele, the strawberry blonde said while Melanie nodded. "You're a strong, independent, working-class woman. "

She shook her head with a small smile on her face. They learned so much from her.

"You really are my sisters," she praised.

 

* * *

 

 

The three of them were sitting in Felicity's living room, watching _The Avengers_ for the hundredth time. With popcorn of course.

"I don't like Tony," deadpanned Melanie.

"Aw, come on!" exclaimed Miele.

"What?" said Melanie. "This spoiled, thinks-knows-everything playboy miraculously billionaire comes back from the dead, becomes part of a team of people much more qualified that he is, and then he self-proclaims himself the leader!" she ranted. "It's so cliche!"

"At least he's smart," Felicity pitched in.

"The point is that he doesn't have to have superpowers to be a superhero," Miele countered.

"That's what Black Widow is for!"

"Plus, is it also a coincidence that he's rich? I think not! What message is that sending to us small people, huh?"

Then came the onslaught of screaming and popcorn throwing (Good thing she made sure to pause the remote). Having enough of their sibling antics, Felicity got up from her chair with her popcorn, walked, and plopped down in between them on her couch.

"Are we done here?" she shifted her head between them.

Silence.

"Good, time to enjoy the movie," she reached for the remote. Her hand reluctantly dropped when she saw Melanie open her mouth again.

"Speaking of playboy billionaires, how was work today?" Melanie questioned with interest.

"You mean working with the guy who demoted her to being his secretary, yeah, probably great!" Miele said sarcastically.

Gingerly sitting up with a bowl of popcorn on her lap, Felicity said, "In fact, I had an argument with my boss this morning."

"Did you slap his face?" Miele asked, smiling evilly.

"No," the blonde woman rolled her eyes. _So violent. They watch too many action movies._

"Are you gonna get fired?" Melanie asked half-joking, half-serious.

"No," Felicity reassured with emphasis, "Definitely not going to happen. That man couldn't even function without me telling him that his meetings are an hour early so he can be there on time."

The girls laughed for a little bit. Chuckling, Melanie said, "I guess billionaire playboys never change."

Felicity rolled her eyes.

Then she remembered her little visitor she had at QC today,

"Oh, by the way, I saw..." the door bell ringed.

_Speak of the Devil._

Felicity put the popcorn on her coffee table, flung her blanket onto the back of the couch, and walked to the front door. She twisted the knob and as she opened the door she said, "Dick, I expected you to come by later ..." she trailed off as she looked at who was in front of her.

"Oliver...?"

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver apologizes to Felicity and the plot (sort of) starts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings:  
> -themes of death ahead  
> -This fanfic is set after the events of 2x15 but before the events of 2x18

Her hair was messy in the best way. She stood there, barefoot, while peering up at her with those beautiful blue eyes. Were they blue or green? He couldn't tell.

Felicity had a surprised look on her face. He knows he doesn't come to see her outside of work often, but hey, it's not that unthinkable. Unless she was surprised because she was expecting someone else.

_Wait, was she expecting that guy from earlier?_

Feeling the need to break the awkward silence, and to ease the tension, Oliver broke out the old, charming, Queen smile.

"Hey, I just wanted to apologize for today..." he started to say.

"Oliver, it's fine," she cut him off curtly.

"Really, I ..." he continued until he was interrupted by...

An annoyed Oliver looked to his right.

_Dick._

"Hey F, did you already have dinner tonight, because I brought ..." Dick trailed off, seeing the tension in the middle of her floor's hallway. He looked helpless standing there with that pizza box in his hands.

Oliver gave him a sharp look.

"You know what, I'll just... go inside," his voice unsure because of the awkwardness he was now in the middle of. He barely acknowledged Oliver with a mumbled "Queen," and a look at Felicity as she stepped out of his way so he could walk through the doorway. Oliver heard an almost inaudible, "Pizza!" before Felicity closed the door behind her, leaning against it expectantly.

"So...," she clasped her hands out in front of her and stepped towards him, "There was something you had to say?"

Oliver was still looking at the door with a perplexed expression when her voice snapped him out of it. There was something he was missing here. He just couldn't pinpoint what.

"Oliver?" she eyed him, a little confused. He doesn't usually space out like this. In a public space. That's not the foundry. Standing in the middle of a hallway.

He blinked his eyes to focus and said, "Um, yeah, ... I know I don't say this often and ... I'm sorry for how I acted earlier. I should know by now to trust you and your decisions on who to trust... After all, you took a chance on me and I don't know where I'd be now if you hadn't."

...

Even after saying he was sorry she still looked dissatisfied. Felicity just stood there, looking up at him, waiting. Then he realized what she really wanted him to say.

"...And you're right."

Her ears perked up at that statement.

"Annnd, what exactly was I right about?" she teased, not done with making him feel worse than he already is.

"You were right about me being a hypocrite and interfering in your personal life." he gave in.

"Thanks for the apology," she pityingly patted the side of his face and moves to face the door.

_What just happened? That's it?_

_No babbling?_

_To think of it, she didn't stare at him at all. She didn't even admire his muscles._

_Is she still angry?_

"Wait!" he held out his hand to stop her. Felicity turned from her door and looked at him, eyebrows raised.

"Are we, um, okay now?" his soft voice carried, unsure of the situation.

She gave him a patronizing little smile, as if she knew something he didn't (to be honest, that's not unusual).

"For now," she answered. Oliver stared at her retreating form. He blinked out of his daze at the sound of her door locking.  _Wow._ He scratched his head while twisting his head to the ends of the hallway. That didn't go how he expected at all. She just shut the door in his face. Well, it's not like she slammed it but it still felt cold.

 _Well, I had it coming didn't I?_ He thought as his hands rested on his hips as he pursed his lips. His eyes cast down to the floor.

 _Enough of that now_ , his hand wiped down his face. He huffed a breath of air.

_Now it's time to find everything I can on Dick Grayson._

 

 

* * *

 

 

She took pleasure in making Oliver Queen squirm. And feel a little guilty.  _Never changes._

She had prepared an entire mental speech about shaming him for being a hypocrite, but he took care of that on his own (sort of). It would've been dragged out much longer if her phone hadn't vibrated with the message she had been waiting for. Pulling out her phone, she looked for her message.

**Mandatory Meeting Call - 10 minutes.**

Closing her phone, Felicity walked into her living room. It was unsurprising to see her sisters tackling the pizza from Dick. Also unsurprising, them bombarding him with their questions.

"How are you?"

"Can we go to Jump City for the summer?"

"Got new recruits?"

"How are our best friends?"

"Have Raven and Damian started dating yet?"

The rapid fire questioning session amused her. She sat for a while and leisurely ate a slice from Dick's pizza box.  _Wait til they get to the personal questions._

Felicity looked at her smart watch (which she tinkered with just a tiny bit). The screen started flashing red. She lifted up from her seat and made her way to her room, making sure to pass Dick a "keep an eye on them" look before she opened her bedroom door.

Closing the door behind her, Felicity checked that her windows were covered.  _Good._ She swiped up her smartwatch and then, she was talking to five other people.

"Now," she breathed, "let's get this party started."

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Felicity left her room, staring down at the flash-drive in her hand with iridescent shards around it. The necklace has been just there for months and months but oh, it actually a flash drive. Figures.

Memory loss and random necklaces equals flashdrive. Seriously.

Who frickin even made the flashdrive?

Oh, yeah right. She can't remember!

She blew her lips and rolled her eyes. 

_Good thing they suggested I break it. Now I need to get my hands on a computer._

She rushed across her kitchen and sat in front of her laptop, barely hearing Dick's concerned, "Felicity, what's wrong?" She raised her pointed finger up in the air, signaling for him to wait for her to sign into her computer.

"I think I've found something," she stated as she plugged in the flash-drive.

Dick immediately grabbed a chair and sat down next to her, looking over her shoulder.

Building plans, notes on scientific experiments, graphic images of people on lab tables, and gore popped up on her screen to her surprise. 

"What about your sisters?" Dick asked. He didn't want them to know anything they didn't have to.

"Don't worry, their too into analyzing movies and their easter eggs for whatever we're doing to catch their attention," she waved off his concern.

"Felicity, what the hell is on that flash-drive?" Dick breathed out. Everything he was seeing was horrible.

Felicity clicked through the files. A woman on a lab table appeared. The woman was being cut open. Slices were made below her abdomen. To add to that, there was a needle sticking out of his arm. The tube connected to the needle had dark red fluid in it. Was that blood? _They were taking their blood?_ hIt looked like they were taking enough to start a blood drive. She was obviously awake, since picture showed her writhing and screaming in pain. Her face was twisted in pure agony.

Click.

And a video popped up.

"Do I really want to see this?" Felicity mumbled to herself loud enough for Dick to hear.

She clicked on it anyway, thinking it was best to know what kind of thing she was going to have to deal with. There were three people and it was safe to assume that the one wearing the lab coat was the scientist. 

_He walked behind a painfully thin person tied to a chair. The restrained man in his late teens, relentlessly trying to get out of his restraints. On the opposite side of the room, no, another room separated by glass, sat a similarly restrained child. He was younger than the teen and looked about 12 years old. The two boys looked alike, so it was obvious they were brothers._

_The scientist, a fair skinned man with a balding scalp, walked around the teen. The teen visibly fidgeted. The older man's movements were making him nervous._

_"Please, let my brother go, he has nothing to do with this." the teen pleaded._

_Completely ignoring the older brother, the man stopped next to the teen and turned to face the younger one._

_"I'll make my intentions clear. You give me exactly what I want, and I let him go. He's of no use to me anymore."_

_"I don't know what you want!" the child cried out._

_"Well..." the kid almost sighed in relief as the man looked like he'd reconsider._

_"That's unfortunate."_

_As if he created something from thin air, a weapon appeared in old man's hand. He swiftly stuck his arm out beside him, quick enough that the younger child barely got a word out to beg him not to hurt his brother._

_"Don't-!"_

_And he shot the innocent teenager in the side of the head._

_The younger brother started screaming hysterically with tears streaming down his face. He was shaking his head vividly. He couldn't handle it. Grief struck his face as he closed his eyes so the image of his big brother's dead body wouldn't burn into his brain. He slowly peeled his eyes open to the man covered in his brother's blood._

_"No." he insistently spoke_

_"NO."_

_"NOOOOO!"_

_Static._

The video ended there. The thing that stuck with her most was the scientist's chilling expression after he killed the boy. It looked like he got exactly what he wanted.

Felicity finally let herself breath.

"Apparently, the hell that is on the flash-drive consists of analyses of behavior under duress, inducing adrenaline, private experiments on select groups, ... all on innocent people," she read the labels of each file.

 _Oh my god_ , he thought.

Felicity, keeping herself together, whether from anger of being horrified, scrolled through the documents some more.

"There's also something here called Project Fail-Safe?" he peered over her shoulder.

_Why?_

_Just why?_

"Well, that's not completely ominous." she drawled.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Pacing a hole into the floor was the only thing keeping her sane for the past 10 minutes.

Dick was sitting in a chair, rubbing his face while his head rested in his hands. What was important to Felicity was important to him and he had no idea what to do at this point. He just wanted to spend some time with an old friend. And maybe flirt with her for a bit. Don't worry, he knows he sounds like an awful person for thinking about his love life after what they saw. He didn't think that little necklace would get results this quick. It gave him the perfect excuse to be around her more. But nooooooo, it could never be easy. Someone just had to start this entire mess.

Someone's been under the radar, experimenting on people, just because their DNA matches their criteria, for years. And they have no idea how to stop it.

"I knew that flash-drive was going to cause a shit-show." And Felicity still hadn't stopped pacing herself ragged.

"Can you please stop pacing for just one minute?" he finally exclaimed. "You're making me nervous."

He inwardly cringed when he realized his mistake.  _Too soon dude_ , he thought.

Felicity's head swerved towards him with startling swiftness. She darkly chuckled and strode into his space, close to his head. "YOU, you're the one who's nervous! Oh, I don't know, how about the person who's going to, very possibly, and by extension, my BABY SISTERS, be hunted down for this shit. You saw what I saw!"

The people who were being experimented on had DNA that matched the organization's,  whatever they call it, requirements. And hello, hello, guess whose DNA would match those requirements? Her! Oh, and her little sisters' she practically raised! That means they could all be experimented on.  _Fuck!_

Plus, she's also the one investigating these serious of crazy occurrences. So there's even a higher chance she's gonna get hunted down. Then maybe not just hunted down, hunted down to be killed.

_Double fuck!_

Dick stood up from his chair and gently rested his hands onto her shoulders. "Hey, hey..., calm down, deep breaths." he stilled her, tenderly sitting her down in his seat.

Letting in a breath and shutting her eyes, she tried to calm down. Solid breaths of air huffed out of her mouth as she mumbled, "Three..., two..., one."

He relieved when she opened her eyes. Dick got to the point once he felt she calmed down. "Now, what are all the facts we have here?"

With no trace of how rattled she was before, Felicity determinedly arose to the task a hand.

She shuffled the papers that she printed out and that were sitting next to her laptop. She carried her voice as she summarized the files on the flash-drive. "Whoever started this is part of an organization that has sectors all over the world: Buenos Aires, Moscow, Cairo, Beijing..." she started rambling.

 _Hold up_ , Dick thought.

"Wait a minute, you told me about a sanatorium that used its patients as experiments. You and your friends were taken there. Wasn't that place in Buenos Aires?" he remembered.

"Yes, but we blew it up," she deadpanned.

Things got a little intense over there. She couldn't stand by and wait for someone to save them. Dick knew that about her.

Don't worry, they didn't mean to blow it up. It was out of their hands (kind of). Either way,  there's one less institution using it's patients as experiments in the world.

He was about to continue their conversation and say...

"Looks like that little sanatorium was part of a bigger picture." she cut off. 

 _Well, I was about to say smart things and sound impressive to you, but go ahead, make me feel useless._ It was hard to stay relevant around a woman who could walk circles around you.

Her eyebrows scrunched together, the glow from the laptop highlighting the perplexed expression on her face. "Even though we detained the 'doctors' (she visually quoted) and released all of the prisoners, it seemed that one scientist got away, a Simon Ewell." she continued.  _He just so happens to be the same man I just saw on the video. Nice._

"And how do you know that?" he questioned.

"Because I found an analysis on that kid that has his name on it. The entry is dated after the explosion." she explained. How someone got all of this info is still unbeknownst to her.

"Guess this guy continued his work, and if we can find him..." he trailed.

"We can find the heart of this shit-hole of an operation," she finished.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Less than an hour later Felicity found out everything she needed on Simon Ewell. Hacking a few government databases never hurt anybody. Well, as long as no one finds out about it.

Taking a sip of wine, Felicity rose her voice, "I found something on Ewell."

After wiping his hands of leftover pizza sauce with a napkin, Dick moved to lean over her shoulder. Felicity rose her eyebrows at him for gorging on pizza in this serious matter.

At that look of contempt on her face Dick defended, "Hey! I had a long flight and  _it's pizza_." she rolled her eyes, "And besides, I'm a guest."

_I hate when people try to pull the etiquette card._

"By the way, we need to talk about your pineapple on pizza problem. Half of the pizza, seriously?"

"Hey! I resent that! What about your wine, huh? I -"

"Anyway," she cut him off as her eyes snapped back to her computer, "It seems that the guy hopped from place to place, while receiving suspicious amounts of money." her finger clicked on her laptop. "And now he resides in Las Vegas."

 _Of course he would,_ she thought.

"Well," he stood up as he moved away from her shoulder, "Looks like you need to invite some of your 'besties' on a trip, because we're going to Las Vegas." he stated as he moved to make some calls.

She incredulously eyed him at his presumptuousness.  _Well definitely not tomorrow. I'll have to get my affairs in order. I have a life here you know._

"And who says you're going with us, Grayson?" she questioned sassily.

"Since I'm the one with the private jet." he fired back.

"You mean the jet that was bought with Daddy's money?" she asked cheekily. "That one? That's the one you're talking about?" she smirked.

Dick deadpanned.

"Oh, shut the fuck up."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the kudos and positive comments. It means so much to me.  
> All though this is my first fanfic (albeit I have thought about writing this for months and months) I have been getting positive feedback, so thank you all, again, so much.

She was writhing in her bed, twisting and turning.

_Let us out!_

If someone saw her now, they would see an obviously anxious woman.

_Let us out!_

Her eyes skirted under her eyelids. The fears she had clearly spread to her subconscious.

_LET US OUT!_

Green orbs snapped open. She shot up from her bed, short of breath, her chest rapidly rising and falling. 

"Phew," she wiped the sweat off her brow. Felicity reached her hand over and plucked her phone from her nightstand. The lock screen opened in front of her as her eyes looked at the time.

_Great._

Work at Queen Consolidated started a 9, so her stressed self waking up at 6 AM was nice.

Yanking the covers from her body and swerving her legs over her bed, she twisted her neck. While the cracking sound might weird out some people, it was satisfying for her. The blond stretched and blew her lips, mumbling, "Well, it's only for one more day and I get a break. I leave tomorrow anyway." before she reluctantly stood from her bed.

She wandered around her room as she raised her hands and rested them on the back of her head. For a moment she stared at the flash-drive that rested from her dresser. She thought about the entire can of worms that small piece of technology was opening. At least that means she'll finally get to use her vacation days. 

Not that she'll actually get to travel. Though she thinks she's seen enough places in her lifetime. The Batcave is one of them.

"Eh, might as well start packing," she sighed and dropped her arms to her sides.

Felicity strode around her room and crouched by the side of her bed. One of her arms reached out under her bed. Her hands waved around the area as she searched for something. When she found what she was looking for she dragged it into her view. A duffel bag plopped in front of her and sighed, "I really need to stop talking to myself."

It was almost like the bag was mocking her. The bag represented all the problems she was bound to face. Knowing her luck, something was going to happen. Why does she have such a crazy life? Why does she surround herself with people who have crazy lives? It's almost like she's a magnet to danger. Her hands rested on her hips as she looked up at the ceiling. 

"I need some coffee."

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

She shouldered her bedroom door closed after dressing in a blue-purple dress with a peter pan collar. That shower really helped her nerves, along with her morning run and coffee. It was a great way to start her day. For some reason, this morning felt too somber for her to keep up her happy personality. Anyway, she got any negative thoughts out of her mind before she got lost into the mind field that was her brain. New focus, putting on her heels.

Felicity's colorfully painted hand rested on a nearby wall as she fit her heel onto the back of her foot. Her other heel almost made it cleanly onto her bare foot when she paused. She smelled something. And it actually smelled good. She sniffed the air some more.

_Is that food?_

She scrunched her eyebrows and thought,  _I'm pretty sure Dick doesn't know how to cook so..._

Her hand continued to put the heel on and fitted it to her foot. She dropped her foot to the floor and clanked her heels to the kitchen. Rounding the corner, she looked into the kitchen. Her sisters were.... cooking?

They were cooking food. 

Food that smelled good.

Really good.

Hm.

Well, the kitchen was a mess. A huge mess that she was definitely not cleaning up. It seemed that it was worth it though because- _Oh my God are those chocolate chip pancakes?_

She basically speed over like a cartoon character, grabbed a fork, and stuffed a bite of pancake into her mouth. If taste buds had personalities, hers would be very happy right now. That flavor needs to be savored. It was obviously better than anything she ever tried to cook.  _Figures that a couple of nearly 15-year-old  girls are better at cooking than I am._

A surprised smile left her face after she looked up. _ _Well this is new.__

Goodness it was the most adorable thing she has ever scene (other than her friend Daphne's baby girl maybe). Imagine two mini Felicity's with the cutest little aprons. The even had some flour dusted across their faces! Their like little children who got into the wrong cabinet. Their cuteness aside, how did this happen?

Her finger hovered in the air, pointing back and forth between the two individuals as she asked, "Since when do you two know how to cook?"

"The internet," they stated simultaneously.

Seriously, just because their twins doesn't mean they have to speak at the same time. It's very creepy when they do that. Their not part of a horror movie.

To think of it, they only talk like that when their brains short-circuit (or they try to seem cute). And they only think like that when their trying to...

_Hm. Ok._

"And you decide to let me know about this new development while turning the kitchen into a war zone because...?"

Ok, she knows she's supposed to be the responsible big sister that's supposed to take care of her little siblings, but she can  **not** cook. Don't get her wrong, she can bake when she has time, just not cook. It's either cereal or a pastry from her favorite cafe before work.

"We're lazy people," Melanie said simply.

_That's not new._

"So you decide that today, of all days, to not be couch potatoes?" Felicity asked while placing both of her hands on the kitchen counter.

"Well... we have a guest," was Melanie's half-thought-out reply. Miele just decided to stupidly nod along to that statement.

_That's not it._

_They're up to something._

"Ok," Felicity replied unfazed. She dropped into her seat at the counter and grabbed a piece of toast. If they were going to act like this then she might as well enjoy the benefits. Food is food.

"Whatever you say." she spoke again. She bit into her toast and waited, staring right into their innocent little faces.  _I'll wait._ Them trying to act nonchalant was pretty funny.

_10 seconds._

They continued making breakfast and setting plates.

_20 seconds._

Then they started shifting uncomfortably as the pair felt her gaze staring a hole through them.

_32 seconds-_

"We just wanted to go to Las Vegas with you," Miele finally gave in.

Felicity laughed in astonishment.  _Wow._

_They were trying to butter me up. With food. Scarily calculating. That kind of makes me proud._

"Since when did you guys learn how to listen into people's conversations?"

"Don't patronize us, we're not five." Miele sassed.

"Also meaning that Miele eavesdropped, while I minded my own business."

"Yea, you minded your own business," Miele quoted, "UNTIL I told you that we had an opportunity we could go to Vegas!" she pointed out.

Melanie countered, "Okay, I eavesdropped to, but only because I wanted a break from Starling City. You know that. You felt the same way until people like the Hood and the woman in black started running around."

"They're superheroes, I swear! They have masks and everything!"

Felicity rolled her eyes at them and interrupted, "Also, speaking of that opportunity, which is nonexistent by the way, I'm getting you two a babysitter."

"But-," they started.

"Nope."

"Why?," Miele asked. "We're too old to be babysat." Miele, always with the questions. 

"It's just a precaution" Felicity sighed.

"I think we're mature enough to-" Melanie started.

"Just think of him as a house sitter that's just in the house the same time as you."

"Can we at least talk about why you're going to Las Vegas?" Miele asked.

"I thought you learned how to listen into people's conversations?"

Melanie shrugged, "Eh, we only caught onto the end of it."

"Hmm, for a second I was sort of impressed by your sneaking around skills."

They had the audacity to show an offended look.

"So why?" Miele said again.

"Maybe I'll tell you when I get back," Felicity said. She simply held out her plate and ended the conversation. 

"Now pass me the hash browns before Dick wakes up and snatches them."

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Scrolling through her QC work on her tablet, Felicity thought,  _Why, just why did I have to be an EA. I would've been just fine in the Applied Sciences Division, wait, never mind._ She inwardly (and outwardly) cringed at the thought. Things never ended well for people who worked in the Applied Sciences Division. Malcolm Meryln  _might_ be dead, but still. She wasn't one to take chances with whatever stuff Applied Sciences gets involved in. She woman cringed again before looking at the time on her tablet. It was 9:28 AM.

It was at that precise moment that the CEO walked through the elevator with Diggle in tow. Oliver nodded, acknowledging Felicity, as he walked through the glass doors connected to his office. He looked into the glass walls of the board room and saw no one. His eyebrows crinkled together before he walked out of his office. The former marooned islander rounded her desk and made a slow stop in front of Felicity's desk.

"Hey," he pressed his fingers on her desk, promptly stopping her from swiping her tablet and said, "Isn't there a board meeting at 9:30?"

She sweetly smiled at him and said, "Oops, I got the time wrong, it's actually at 10:15."

"Sorry, my bad," she fake pouted. Then she continued swiping on her tablet, dismissing him as though he wasn't even there.

 _Seriously?_ Oliver thought as he pursed his lips incredulously.

Felicity looked up from her tablet. Lifting her eyebrows, she said, "Why are you still standing there? Don't you have some CEO stuff You have some time to kill with paperwork before the meeting starts." Also known as the phrase "get your shit together cause I'm not doing it for you."

"Mhmm," he begrudgingly pinched his lips. He removed his hand from her desk and walked to his office, looking back at her.

Dig, throughout the whole exchange, was trying very hard not to laugh. But, unfortunately, he had to keep up the emotionless bodyguard persona.  _That girl never ceases to amuse me._

He gave Felicity a tiny, knowing smile and mouthed, "Good job."

She returned the smile while gently putting her earbuds into her ear, mouthing back a "Thank you." She sent a few emails when she focused on her computer, continuing on with the rest of her work.

A few minutes later the bitch arrived. Isabel that is. Her steps echoed on the hard floor at if they were the heels of pure evil. Are heels of pure evil a thing? No? It should be. If the shoe fits. 

Felicity dreaded those heels as she saw them approach her desk area. The heels disappeared from her view behind the opposite side of her desk. That means that Felicity, reluctantly, very reluctantly, had to look up at the owner of those heels. The blonde plastered a fake smile in her face with all the energy she could muster.

"Hello Ms. Rochev," she greeted civilly. 

The brunette's frigid nod was the only indication of acknowledgement as the businesswoman looked to her right. Her sole focus was on Oliver, with that interpretive gaze of hers. She was surprised he was early. In her mind, he didn't even show half of an effort for his half of the company. Now, let the bitching begin.

"Looks like your incompetence at being simple secretary has left you today Ms. Smoak. There is hope for you yet," the pretentious woman stated.

The anger she felt at that moment, phew, it's gotten too much. One good right hook will do just the trick. Only she would make a compliment (in her eyes) insulting. Just one smack will make her feel good about all the times Isabel belittled her. Her job. Her looks. And implying that she is SLEEPING WITH HER BOSS (even though Isabel's the one that actually fucked him). You know what? She's gonna-wait, no, deep breaths.  _Don't give her any ammunition. Don't lose your job Felicity, just breath._

...

_Hmmm._

_Okay._

 

_Staying calm and collected is key._

Felicity graciously stood from her desk with a shiny smile.

"Ms. Rochev..., may I get you a cup of coffee?"

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Grunts were heard from the foundry as Diggle and Sara sparred with the escrima sticks. _Seems that Oliver is late once again._

Roy was sitting next to her, throwing a green tennis ball up in the air. Toss, drop, catch. Over and over again. On repeat. It's really hard for a person to focus on hacking when someone keeps annoying them from their peripheral vision.

Felicity turned towards him in her chair and asked, "Aren't you supposed to be slapping water or something?" Her annoyed meter had gone up the entire time he has been playing with that tennis ball. Time he spent waiting on Oliver, which was more than a little while. 

Roy replied that, "The warden isn't here so I'm enjoying my freedom for the time being." Then he caught the ball, again.

Even though she visibly rolled her eyes, she smiled a little at the crack at Oliver. He was kind of accurate about it though.

Then she remembered...

"Hey Roy, remember when I saved you from getting killed by an old lady last year?"

Roy let the ball drop to the floor after leaving it in midair.

"I thought we agreed to never speak of that again," he shifted his eyes to see if Sara or Diggle were listening.

_Men and their pride._

"Who cares? You grabbed the last bag of peanuts-very gentlemanly by the way, she got pissed, mistakes you for a clone (for some reason), yada, yada, yada, things went downhill real fast, the point is is that you owe me a favor."

"Hey, wait a second there-"

Felicity eyed him with a dirty look.

Roy outwardly slumped, "Fine, what do you need me to do?"

"I'm going to need you to house-sit/babysit for a few days, just until my friend Roxy takes over. She'll just take over the last couple of days though, so clear your schedule. No questions? Good. Great!" she clipped after not waiting for an answer. The blonde then dismissively turning back to her computers.

She knew that Roy was dangerous, with the anger issues adding to the mirakuru and all. With the type of life Felicity lives, she needs to take every precaution. Lately they've been dealing with Slade and he break into her home if he wanted to. If he found her sisters, then that would be a whole new problem. For her and for him. Anyone else would get their ass kicked if that situation were to happen. Except Roy. He had mirakuru in his system, but he's also untrained. His ass would only be slightly kicked.

Plus she also constantly worries about A.R.G.U.S. going rogue. Waller is unpredictable. Oh, and if anyone found out that she went through that flash-drive and decided to make a home visit, Roy would have them in for something. Roy is the hero type anyway, so it's safe to say that he'd save a couple teens. She needs someone that will protect her sisters if need be. A strength induced supersoldier is the perfect way to do that.

Meanwhile Roy scratched the back of his head for a second.

_What?_

_Wait-babysit?_

He pressed his lips together in confusion. Roy turned his head to Felicity to ask just what she meant by-

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the foundry door flew open. The door banged against the wall and the stairs groaned as Oliver walked down to their base of operations.

"Felicity!"

 _Oh, what the hell happened now?_ she thought.

A brightly polished hand poised in the air, feigning an elegant wave. Dropping her fake smile, she let her hand limply float in the air; a clear sign of her annoyance and disinterest. She sarcastically tilted her head to the side after Oliver thudded down the last step. _Why does everything have to always be so dramatic with him?_

"Hi Felicity, how was your day? Very good, thank you very much Oliver. How considerate of you," she drawled as he stalked his way to her chair. What was up with him? Even his muscles in his neck were popping out a bit. And maybe that vein on his forehead.  It was like he was full of anger and he didn't know what to do with it.

The pounding of his footsteps stopped as he towered in front of her in her chair. Tension was filling the air and everyone in the foundry paused to watch. They watched once they stepped away so they wouldn't be caught in the cross hairs, at least.

 _Oh boy,_ Dig thought as set the wooden sticks on a nearby table. When he was ready for the entertainment to come (in case he had to intervene), he folded his arms and stood beside Sara. Roy felt the incessant need to back away from Felicity and move to Sara's left. Sara wondered what her boyfriend was so wound up about. He was almost seething.

"Why are you leaving Starling? I-We need you here to help with Slade. We all have responsibilities here to save this city!" he shouted in her face.

 ...

If looks could kill, they would.

The glare Felicity gave him was worse than a bullet-wound. Dig felt it. Roy felt it. Sara felt it. They all felt it.

Felicity shook her head at him and unhinged her jaw, scoffing.

"Oliver, I'm just leaving Starling for some personal business I need to take care of," she stated calmly. "No need to use your 'Arrow voice.'"

 "You could have at least told us that you were going to leave us with our hands tied behind our backs on short-notice," he seethed. "You can't just leave us, you have to stay here," he tried to reason.

She braced her hand on the armrest as she stood up.  _Oh really?_

"Does it really count as 'short-notice' if it takes your boss, like what, an entire day to check his emails?" she questioned with a haughty tilt of her head. "Cause I think not," she quipped while sarcastically looking around the room for any objections.

Roy just raised his hands in surrender. The three people standing on the sidelines were at a loss.

"It does not matter Felicity!"

"I swear, it's Barry all over again." she muttered out loud.

"Who's Barry?" Sara asked on the side.

"I don't know," Roy shrugged. 

"We can talk about that little incident later," Dig shushed them.

"Oh yeah, it does matter, because it seems to involve my personal-life, in which you have miraculously taken interest in all of the sudden!" Felicity continued.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you don't have any right to question my personal business now! And I'll be damned if I let you tell me what I can and can't do!" she leaned over, grabbed her purse, and walked over in the direction of the stairs.

"And does any of that _personal business_ have to do with Dick Grayson?"

Her hair flipped as she briskly turned to face him. "What are you implying?" she inclined her head.

As if out of nowhere, a folder was in Oliver's hand. He dropped the folder and it slapped onto Felicity's computer desk. She slowly stepped closer from her position near the stairs. She was confused. She didn't think he would, after Barry, do something like this again.

"Richard John Grayson. Twenty-six years old. Born in Gotham City, raised in a circus. Adopted by, get this, multi-billionaire Bruce Wayne of Wayne Enterprises. And Dick seems to have a flight scheduled for tomorrow on his private jet," he laughed. "Now do you just randomly befriend rich men or..?"

 _Bitch you befriended me,_ she thought.

She had a slow outward reaction to this. She was coming up with a come back to his implication so he didn't wait for her to answer his question.

"Why don't you just go on with your little _vacation_ with him then?"

...

Dig, Roy, and Sara stood there helplessly. They looked at each other, all at once, in surprise. Oliver just crossed a line. He crossed a line on the sweetest person in the room. The reason she was so sweet is because she was used to suppressing her feelings. You never bring a nice person to the point of anger, because then there would be Hell to pay. She was about to snap and everyone knew it.

Felicity's heels plowed into the ground when she strode across the floor and into Oliver's personal space. He stood there, at a loss for words. The archer immediately regretted what he said. Opening his mouth to apologize, he started to say, "I'm-"

SLAP!

Oliver's head whipped back with startling force. Usually, a petite blonde wouldn't have that much power coming from her body. Felicity made it work, because, it hurt. A lot.

She let out heavy, angry breaths as she retracted her hand. She felt no remorse. Let it feel bad, he deserves it.

"Fuck you," she seethed through her teeth. "Go to hell."

She shouldered her purse and left the foundry, not looking back.

 

 

 

* * *

 

     _Meanwhile_

 

Slade Wilson sat in his desk chair at his hideout. In front of him was a TV screen showcasing every live moment in the Queen home. Nothing interesting was going on now that the kid had left. It was entertaining to watch Oliver Queen begrudgingly be polite to his mother with his little sister forever remaining oblivious. 

Queen didn't want to talk to the Queen matriarch so much that he used his phone at the table. Slade was sure, with an incredibly wealthy and etiquette-driven family like the Queens, that it would be extremely rude. Especially when Mrs. Queen asked him a question an he completely ignored her. Pity the poor woman had a son like that.

Then apparently, the kid didn't like what he saw on his phone. Either that or he was really surprised. He basically left his dinner cold and sped out the door.

Slade was contemplating about this moment while lounging in his desk chair when his prodigy walked in. Ms. Rochev and him had scheduled meetings every now and then, sometimes with Blood. Most times she gave him useful info on Queen and what to do with him. He, however, trained her. When the day comes where they can lay siege on Starling City, she will be ready. No one will be able to knock her down, let alone put a bullet into her skull. Not like Shado.

Isabel walked to him and sat in the chair opposite of his desk. He was surprised that she didn't omit the meeting. Well, she's a businesswoman with an obsession with winning, so maybe not. But she looked very pale. She looked sick. In his time knowing her he has never seen her sick. Either that or she never allowed anyone to see her sick. It showed weakness and she refused to be weak. He guessed that was why she insisted on going to this scheduled meeting. 

She crossed her legs in a way to say she was here to divulge. At least she was not here to bare bad news. How curious.

The businesswoman inspected her nails. It was as if she was talking about the weather in that unfeeling voice of hers. Strictly business as usual.

"You may have been wrong about the woman Oliver loves being Laurel Lance. The other Lance sister is an unlikely option, but, with the way he acted jealous when some random guy visited Ms. Smoak the other day, I'd say he has a little crush. Or something more than that. Luckily they didn't notice I was listening throughout the whole exchange."

The one eyed man rubbed his chin, "Interesting, there is a chance that he cares for this, this, Ms. Smoak? This could be useful for bringing him down to his knees. Find a way to gather all the information you can about her, she's might be a valuable pawn than I first thought."

Isabel looked up at her business partner. "What's even more interesting is that she didn't even care. Or enjoy the obvious jealousy. I would. You would expect that blonde, short-skirt wearing, secretary to be in a relationship with Mr. Queen. Or want to at least.  She had to be bumped up to a secretary for a reason." She said into her nails.

"Maybe she and her little visitor have something going on." She voiced out loud with disinterest after returning to her nails.

 _Think of how much we can play with his head._ _He'll get a taste of what I felt for months on that island. Watching him with Shado, who he didn't love enough to deserve her, was agony. Maybe if he loved her like he did, then she'd still be alive. Oliver Queen deserved to suffer, on all ends._

_And jealousy was the master manipulator._

_It hurts more when you mourn for what you never had._

"A jealous Oliver Queen? This is going to be fun."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically the last line is what you readers are thinking.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I do not own Arrow or any other TV show or franchise mentioned in this story.

Felicity tied her hair into a ponytail before grabbing her duffel bag and and walking into her living room. Her sisters were waiting to see her off while Dick was probably outside already.

"Hey girls, my friend Roy will be over in a few, but I should start heading out now."

She knelt before the both of them and said, "I'll be gone for a few days, a week at most. Look out for each other and be good. And  _pleas_ _e_ , don't terrorize Roy." She wrapped them into a tight embrace. After she leaned over and kissed both of their heads, she let go of them.

"No promises," Miele smirked.

"Make smart choices," Melanie quipped.

Felicity shook her head at them and their antics. _I love them so much,_ she smiled. Caring eyes looked back at the twins as she stepped away. She was about something as she reached for her bag when-

"Do we really need a babysitter?" Miele asked, "We're almost 15!"

"More importantly, do I need a babysitter? Because I'm the responsible one."

" _Excuse me!_  Responsible one my a-"

"Hey! Unless you want me to send you two to Mrs. Paredes down the hall and deal with her cats going missing, you're both are staying here. Understand?" she looked between the two of them .

Silence.

"Fine," they reluctantly mumbled in unison.

"Good."

Oh wait, she still had to give them the run down on what they had to do while she was gone.

DING DONG!

_I swear to God if that's Oliver..._

"Stay here," she told them as she dropped her bag on her living room table walked to the front door. Preparing her loud voice, she flung the door open.

_Oh wait._

_Not Oliver. Sara. What's with all of these surprise visits?_ The genius was very puzzled. It probably showed on her face.

"Ummm..., it's not a good time right now Sara, I have to go." she told. The woman leaned back into her apartment to get her things with Sara on her tail. The assassin glanced around.

Sara started, "I'm just trying to apologize for Oliver, he was-"

"Totally out of line yesterday? Yeah, I got that." Felicity cut her off. "Besides, you shouldn't be apologizing for him. Oliver is his own man, he lives by his own rules, and makes his own decisions. No matter how much they make the people around him want to hate him."

Sara landed a hand on her shoulder, concerned for her friend. "Hey, it'll be okay."

"Oh, you shouldn't worry about me. You should be more worried about Oliver." she drawled.

"Please don't-" Sara started to say.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hack his bank account." she smiled, looking very thoughtful for a second.

"Besides," she continued, "I have other priorities to spend my energy on." Her arm reached for a jacket that sat on the back of her chair.

Sara was bewildered that the other blonde's mind immediately went to hacking. It's kind of bizarre that she could do any thing like that if she wanted to.

"Actually, I was gonna say don't hold it against him."

"Ohhhhh," Felicity realized. She had to think about it for a second.

...

"Yeah, no promises." she told Sara as she put on one sleeve of her jacket. She may seem like a very nice and bubbly person, but she could hold a grudge.

While the other blonde was putting on her jacket, Sara noticed something. Or, I guess she could say, didn't notice something.  _Hmmm._

"Why don't you have a scar there?" Sara inquired. "From the Clock King?" Sara said before Felicity could slide the entire jacket on. Of course she would remember that bullet wound, it was supposed to be meant for her.

Felicity paused and twisted her head over her shoulder. Seeing nothing, she pursed her lips.

"Huh, I guess I just heal fast," she shrugged as she slipped the rest of the jacket over her tank top.

 _Weird, but okay._  Sara thought. The assassin's body was in peak physical condition and she has never healed that fast. Shots and grazes always leave scars. Maybe almost always, oh well. She wasn't here to worry about random scars anyway.

They were standing in the apartments entryway. Sara would walk in more and make herself comfortable, like the very few times the team had come over, but there'd be no point in that. Felicity was ready to leave anyway. She liked spending time at Felicity's. It was homey and lived in, unlike Oliver's mansion which held the frigidness of the ice age. There was also the foundry, which was not supposed to be lived in. Oliver refused to interact with his mother after he found out about Thea's true parentage. She could go to Laurel's, they were on good terms now, but inside Sara knew that they were one wrong sentence away from being at odds again. Also, her dad, being the helicopter parent he is (not without reason she had to admit) would never keep his eyes off of her. Felicity was a good friend she could always turn to. Her apartment was one off the few places she felt comfortable in.

It'd be nice if the team saw more of Felicity in her element as well. Well, an element that doesn't have to do with computers and hacking government databases. They didn't know much about her outside of, as Felicity calls it, Team Arrow. Felicity doesn't talk much about her family, which Sara perfectly understood. The Lance family was..., you know, the Lance family is a complete mess. Sara would feel wrong if she pried into Felicity's life.

The Lance woman didn't know much about Felicity's life, but Oliver or Dig might. After all, they've known her longer. Plus Sara noticed that if Oliver confided in anything, it was to Felicity. So it must go both ways. All of those nights working at the foundry and she could've babbled the utmost random tidbits to them. Or maybe Felicity liked talking, just not imperative specifics about herself. That could be the case. Not her family. Not her friends. Not some random guy who handed her his number or something. Nothing said, including her love life (she was kind of curious about that Dick guy though, probably a misunderstanding).

She had to admit, Felicity was cute. She was damn attractive too. There is no way, in all the time she has known her, that nothing has been happening in her love life.

Felicity must really detest talking about herself. Something would've slipped out by now if she didn't, with all the babbling she does.

To think of it, she could look around a bit. She's in Felicity's apartment, she has the opportunity. And she is for sure not going to interrogate her about anything. At some point Felicity left to grab her bag from the living room before she walked Sara out, which was taking her a long time for some reason.  _What was she doing? Talking to someone in there? It surely wasn't that guy parked outside who was probably waiting for her._

Sara stepped in Felicity's apartment some more, somewhat exiting the entryway. The assassin saw some plants, which really surprised her. She didn't think a computer geek would be such a plant person and that she wouldn't remember this from last time. The hacking genius had a fern, marigolds, lilies, orchids -  _Oh my fucking God is that a Venus flytrap. It's huge!_

Sara was sure that thing was the size of a guard dog. It looked like it was waiting for an intruder to walk by so it could snap at it. She was definitely not going to walk by that.

The well-built blonde walked around the plants, pointedly avoiding them. Past them she saw some nerd merchandise and posters: Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Marvel, and Game of Thrones. It would be impossible to not snort at the Robin Hood poster. 

After all the fandom's came what Sara was really interested in - the framed pictures. The wall wasn't filled with them, but there was enough.

It seemed that the pictures were placed vertically. One picture obviously had to deal with her in her school years or something and every picture below seemed to follow that premise. The first picture had a younger Felicity (who seemed to be a natural brunette, although it was a very light brown) with four other girls: a pale girl with short, hot pink hair, a slightly tanned blonde girl, a pale Asian girl with short hair, and a surprisingly not so pale redhead. Sara wondered how old were they then, she couldn't tell.

They must be some old friends of hers. _They look so happy,_ Sara smiled. She wished her and Felicity both still had that same positive energy.

A few of the pictures seemed a little later than the first set. Instead of five girls in the picture, there were six. The new addition to the group seemed to be an athletic person, with dark skin and curly, bouncy hair. She could't tell much from the backgrounds because they were out of focus.

There were random pictures of Felicity with other people than those five girls, but not many. It was obvious that those were her best friends and they were important to her. After looking through the pictures of Felicity in her youth, she found another one. It seemed different than the others, so Sara figured it was a bunch of family photos.

Oddly enough, there were no pictures of her mother. Not her father. No aunts, uncles, cousins, nothing.

Except when she got to some pictures of two twin girls. They had some baby pictures. _Maybe Felicity has a twin, that's interesting._ There was one where the twins were wrapped in hospital blankets, the day they were born. Then the twin girls as toddlers, them as small children, them as small children with Felicity. They looked just like her. How sweet.

_..._

_Wait._

_..._

_...they looked just like her..._

...

...

"What the fuck!"

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

"Who was at the door?" Melanie asked as Felicity walked back into the living room.

"Did Dick forget his keys or something?" Melanie absentmindedly continued while munching on some chips.

"No, um, a friend stopped by to talk before I left," Felicity started.

"Jeez, you have a lot of random friends." Melanie returned.

"What do you mean?"

"What she means is, for someone who acts so socially awkward, you seem to have a lot of connections. There's the person at the door now, the person you were talking to the other day-" Miele began.

"That was my boss," Felicity shortly explained.

"See! You're even friends with your boss." Miele pointed like she was onto something. Felicity rolled her eyes.

Melanie swallowed the chips in her mouth and said, "Even though she's thinking about it too much and being completely nosy," she glared at her strawberry blonde twin, "She's right." She stated those two words outright begrudgingly.

"See, I'm right. You have these random friends all over the place. Your old friends I get, since you've basically been in the same group since like, high school. Dick I get, because he brings pizza and he's Dick. Daphne maybe. Roxy, I-"

"Miele," Felicity warned.

"My point is we don't know some of these people. They keep showing up around us. Then there is this random guy Roy who's supposed to be our babysitter. Plus your billionaire boss shows up. You come home late or early in the morning from working yourself ragged-"

"Aww, are you worried I'm not spending enough time with you."

"Yes," Melanie answered for her. 

"No," Miele answered at the same time.

"I'm your twin I can answer this for you," Melanie snapped. "What she's trying to say is," she continued, "Is that she misses you and that she's worried about your well-being."

"Why?" Felicity asked.

"Why?' Miele asked meaningfully. "Because you've been working overtime, gotten kidnapped, shot at, shot, and whatever the heck else you've been doing. Did you really think that I, we, whatever, wouldn't notice this stuff after the cr-" she sucked in some air, "You know what, not even gonna go there."

"Sometimes, I swear you act like mini-adults," she muttered.

Felicity continued to say, "Girls, you both know me. You know I can handle myself in any situation life throws at me."

"I know that sis, "Melanie started and pointedly turned to Miele, "I'm just not sure  _she_ does."

Miele rolled her eyes and rubbed her face with her hands. She sighed, "I'm just worried that..."

"Worried that what?" Felicity asked.

"That it's happening again."

"What do you mean 'it's happening again?'"

Melanie looked at me like Felicity like she just lost her mind. It was obvious.

"Oh," Felicity let out as she saw the look on Miele's face.

_OH..._

Felicity closed her eyes and let out a breath. Miele was worried, really worried about her.

Why does she have to tell her sisters basically everything?

"Yes." she lamented shortly. She was sure it was going to break their hearts, knowing that danger was at their front door again.

Felicity grabbed one hand from each of them. She gave her little sisters a meaningful look and let out a soft, "And that is why... I put up Roy to watch over you. I need you to be safe at all times, more so now than ever. Okay?"

And, as if Miele had an alternative personality, her face lit up.

"Okay!" she happily quipped.

 _Wut?_ Felicity thought.

Then the strawberry blonde held out a hand next to her, gesturing to the blonde that shared her face.

"I win," Miele said.

Melanie reluctantly slapped a twenty-dollar-bill in her hand. The blonde twin sighed in defeat.

"Told ya I could get her to spill the beans before she left." Miele teased. "Sad eyes are key."

_Wait-WHAT?_

"You...," Felicity seethed, "You guys BET ON ME?"

"To manipulate you into giving us an explanation, yes," Melanie stated with no emotion.

"And you helped her? You lost?" Felicity stated in disbelief.

"Her dedication to it was getting pretty good, so I was like, oh well, losing 20 bucks is worth it." Melanie shrugged. Miele was the devilish one with the poorly made plans, Melanie just observed and accepted the execution (or made them better).

"You weren't going to tell us anything for sure until you got back, so I took matters into my own hands," Miele stated proudly. She had her hands on her hips and everything.

"I don't know whether to punish you or be proud of how smart y'all are." Felicity breathed in astonishment.

Melanie raised a finger, "I prefer the second option. I'm just an accessory to this," and carefully smiled.

"So you're just gonna sell me out, huh?" Miele glared at her.

"You know what?" Felicity stopped, she did not have the energy, "I have to go, we'll get back to this later. I need to run down everything you need to know before I leave."

The twins were kind of sad on the inside. Felicity was going to leave without telling them any actual details. On the other hand, they had like, a week before she could decide to punish them or ground them, something.

Felicity rambled out a list from the top of her head, "Remember, your dance classes start a four now. Make sure to tell Roy that your classes are on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays so he'll have to take my car at 3:40-45 to get there on time. Don't you two go out with out anyone else with you-and no Mel, not even to you favorite store. And no, you guys can't even walk and go to Irene's Ice Cream Shop without Roy. No exceptions."

"No pranking Roy to the point of going crazy. Go easy on the guy. If he acts like a cold douche at first, that's just his personality until he warms up to you."

"Don't drag him to the mall just for you to slip away and make him panic while you guys watch from afar."

"Why would we-" Miele started.

"Because I feel like that's something you two would do."

"But-" Melanie began.

"Tell him he can raid the fridge just make sure he does not LAY A FINGER on my mint chip. Neither can Roxy when she gets here. That goes for you too. I will _sense_ it if you do. Got it?"

"Basic stuff, keep the doors locked, windows locked, go to school, etc." She had a thoughtful expression as she looked in her head.

"Is that it? I think that's it," She checked her watch. "Okay then. Make smart choices." Felicity hurriedly kissed the top of their heads, about to leave.

 _"Hasta luego."_  She said over her shoulder. 

Felicity grabbed her duffel bag and left to find Sara. Her apartment was somewhat larger than most, so she could've been wandering somewhere.

Felicity found her back at the entrance. Sara was facing the door with her back to Felicity. The woman was scratching her head...confused?

_Huh? I guess she was ready to leave._

"Sara?" Felicity called out.

The natural blonde seemed to blink out of her daze. She looked very distracted. Felicity wondered what she was thinking about after she deduced this.

"Are you okay?" Felicity asked concerned.

Sara cleared her throat, "Yeah," cough, "Sure." She looked at Felicity and flustered a little.

The assassin wanted to ask but, to be fair, did she really want to? It could be nothing really. Right? No need to pry into her business.

"You sure?" Felicity asked again. She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder, "Because I could get you a drink or something?"

"Um, no, I'm fine." Sara croaked.

"Okaay," Felicity returned, now even more weirded out by how she was acting. "Come on, I'll walk you out." She shuffled her duffel bag over her shoulder.

They proceeded, side by side, all the way to the apartment complex's ground floor. While walking, Felicity thought about what she was going to do when she got to Vegas. They had to worry about money, stay under the radar, find a good meeting spot, etc.

Sara, in her mind, was overthinking everything Felicity had ever said to her. Did she say something at some point and did everyone miss it?  _Oh, well._

They parted their ways when they arrived outside. Sara walked to the Ducati that was  parked a little ways away. It was Oliver's, so she just took it. After he yelled at Felicity, it was the least she could do for her. On the plus side, it would make it a little harder for Oliver to come to her house and try to apologize. He would inevitably make things worse. She knew Dig wouldn't drive him. And otherwise he'd have to get a car from his mansion, then he'd have to associate with his mother. He could get a taxi, but he'd probably already take the hint by then.

"Bye!" she called out as she swung her leg over the bike.

"Later!" Felicity yelled as she ducked her head into an expensive looking car.

Sara thought,  _Yeah, must be her friend Dick,_ before driving off.

Felicity satisfyingly shut the door closed after tossing the bag in the back seat. The blonde slipped a loose piece of hair behind her ear and fastened her seat belt (safety first kids). She turned to Dick, who probably had to wait for her for a long bit.

"Sorry for making you wait. I had an unexpected talk-talks really," apologized the woman.

"It's fine Felicity," he said softly, "Anything for you." He faced her with a little smile on his face. She rolled her eyes.

"Are you practicing on me for Kory? Cause that was really good. I almost believed you for a second, so mushy." Felicity joked.

There goes Felicity Smoak everyone; forever oblivious in matters of the heart.

He wasn't happening.

 _Not today Grayson,_ he thought _, Just not today._

"You know she likes you, you know."

"Like me?" he said unbelieving, "No she doesn't," he stated surely.

"Oh yeah, she does. Trust me, I can read people." she flicked her hair over her shoulder, like it was a profession.

_Maybe, but apparently one of those people isn't me._

Dick shook his head, at both her abrasiveness and the irony, and drove the car out of the parking lot. It was time to get to the private jet. Also, it was time to live through whatever this trip was leading to.

Dick asked while keeping his eyes on the road, "You sure you don't need your motorcycle?"

"Yeah, it can't fit in your car and it's not like I'm gonna ride it all the way there." Speaking of transportation...

"You know, Bruce is probably very pissed that you took his private jet."

"Alfred's dealing with it."

"Besides, he'd be even more pissed if I took the Batmobile. The jet is the lesser of two evils."

"You're still wound up about him letting Jason drive it before you, I'm guessing."

"Of course I am!"

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

"So how was Felicity today?" Oliver asked. "Has she calmed down enough to talk?"

They were in the foundry, sparring with each other. Since Oliver missed most of the practice yesterday, he had time to make up for. Sara ducked her head right out of the way from an escrima stick as she responded, "How did you know I saw Felicity today?" she paused for a second, confused. 

SMACK!

Oliver's stick had just swept her feet out from under her. She landed on her ass. Hard.

"I didn't, you just told me." He held out a hand for her to take.

Sara was already pissed on her friend's behalf, he just had to make it worse by being cocky. It was (sort of ) hot, unlike him acting like a pretentious asshole yesterday. The one person in the foundry who didn't deserve to be ridiculed, got the end of his yelling. If Felicity just wanted to take some vacation days and take a trip with some guy, then she sure as Hell can.

"Also, you took my Ducati," he stated smugly after he took her hand and lifted her up.

"You know what?" Sara breathed. "I'm glad Felicity finally took those vacation days she deserved. That way she wouldn't have to deal with you." Sara huffed.

"You think she left because of me?" Oliver dropped his arms, thinking that could be a viable option. He felt saddened by the idea. And guilty.

"No, that's not what I'm saying Oliver. That's not even the point!" Sara emphasized.

"You basically internet stalked a friend of her's just because - what? Having a life outside of your mission?" she pointedly asked. She remembered the two little girls in the pictures and swallowed. Her life might have more to it than anyone on the team thought.

"I did that so she wouldn't leave! I did it so we would have all hands on deck with Slade! Do you see me taking vacations? No! That's because every one of us needs to be on high alert and some old friend shouldn't get int the way of that!" he spat.

"So what? Are you saying that you don't want the team to have normal lives? That you don't want her to have a normal life and be happy? Who the fuck cares if she's fucking some guy in Vegas?"

Completely bypassing that last part, Oliver replied, "Yes, of course I want her to have a normal life. She deserves it more than any of us. I didn't tell her not to go so she couldn't be happy, I did it so she wouldn't - so she wouldn't," he choked on his own words.

_So she wouldn't be happy without me._

There. He finally let himself think about it clearly. Without taking it back. Oliver Queen had feelings for Felicity Smoak. And he was jealous. He realized it now. He always acted irrationally when it came to her, or a new man in her life. He got his first taste of it when that guy flirted with her in the elevator of Merlyn Global, who's hands he pointedly knocked the papers out of.

Then, there was Barry, who he tried to hate. He just couldn't though. The kid didn't have a bad bone in his body. Oliver still tried to hate him after he was struck by lightening, since Felicity kept visiting him while Barry was in a coma.

Then the Clock King just  _had_ to talk too much.

Then there  _is_ Dick. A guy she could very well be fucking right now. That possibility made him seething to his bones. It made his insides burn. Whether from the rage of jealousy or the pain, he didn't know. It could be both at the same time. He tried not to think of her, holding her, touching her, being with her in every way possible. He'd had many sleepless nights.

But she was his partner. At least, she was just supposed to be his partner. To him, she was so much more than that. She had no idea, nobody did.

Maybe he had always loved her, ever since the moment he saw her talking to his picture when the world thought he was dead. "Cute," she had called him. It always made him smile when he thought about that moment. It wasn't a coincidence that years later, he found her in the I.T. Department at QC. Sometimes he liked to believe it was fate. Maybe his subconscious intentionally led him back to her. He did notice the I.T. card she was wearing the first time he saw her.

He doesn't know whether it was intentional or if it was coincidence. It was fate.

 _Plus the red pen in her mouth was a bonus,_ he thought with a smile.

"Oliver?" Sara literally snapped him out of it.

"What?" he blinked.

"Where did you  go right there? you were smiling, and to be honest, you look a little flushed," she observed him. 

She subconsciously knew what he was thinking about. It was pretty obvious that Oliver has feelings for Felicity. She didn't know if Oliver even knew that. They both knew that their relationship wouldn't last forever. But it was comfortable. It was familiar. Then she would inevitably return to the League of Assassins.

Felicity and Oliver would make a great couple one day (if Oliver grows a pair that is).

"Are we done arguing about this? Because I'd really like to get back to sparring," Oliver abruptly changed the subject.

"I-" she was about to respond, then they heard the code being punched in and the door opening. One set of footsteps walked down the stairs.

"You guys sparring?" Dig asked as he reached the floor.

"Yes," Oliver gratefully said, "Where's Roy?"

"Not coming. He's house-sitting for Felicity while she's away," Dig answered.

"House-sitting?" Sara asked incredulously.

"House-sitting? Does she have a secret dog or something?" Oliver asked.

 _She might not have a dog, but she has a secret alright._ Sara go quiet for a moment, staring at the floor with wide eyes.

Dig laughed a little and joked, "As if Felicity would have secret. She doesn't even have a poker face!"

Oliver laughed along with that little joke while Sara stood there uncomfortably. She nodded along like she agreed and bit her lip. She didn't know whether it was from keeping herself from saying something or from laughing out loud.

_No secrets, surreeeeeee._

Oliver asked, "Why would she let Roy, of all people, house-sit for her?"

"It's a house, it's not like it's going anywhere."

At that precise moment, the computer's beeped. Dig, since he was closest to the computers, walked over and glanced at the screens. "Huh, I guess Felicity kept some algorithms running so she could still help out while she's on her trip," Dig pointedly looked at Oliver as him an Sara walked over.

Dig turned around and looked smartly at Oliver, "And who said that we'd have our hands tied behind our backs?" and smugly smiled.

Oliver ignored that small jab at himself and focused on the computer, "What is it?"

"The police just found three dead bodies. Each description is the same: female, white, red hair, blue eyes. All were killed in about the same time frame. A few days at most, a couple of hours at least." Dig crossed his large arms.

"So we have a serial killer on our hands?" Sara stated rhetorically.

"It seems so," Dig distractedly looked at the files.

"Something feels off," Oliver stated.

 _Are serial killings supposed to feel right?_ Dig thought.

"What do you mean?" Sara looked at Oliver for an answer.

"Serial killers don't usually kill people in the same time frame. They usually take their time and prepare. If they don't take their time, then the police know what kind of victim is being targeted. In this case, that is a woman with pale skin, red hair, and blue eyes."

"A serial killer isn't that efficient. Usually, at least one victim has a chance to fight back, which takes more time. If they're that confident in their actions and that quick, then they're probably not done."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this story is a lot of mystery and me dropping slight hints at what's going on. I'm gonna try to start posting more so you guys can get some answers. Remember, and this is ever since chapter one. Pay attention, even if the info may seem unnecessary or maybe seem like mistakes. Everything is there for a reason (it's a buildup). Plus, I may be going a little out of the box with this story, so some things may be very, ummmm, confusing. I mean, it will make sense to you readers in a confusing way. Thank you!
> 
> If you have any guesses or things you've noticed, please leave them in the comment section below. I can't spoil anything, but I just love the feedback.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know I'm surprised no one commented about Chapter 5 (>_<).

That night, Roy found out what Felicity's "house-sitting/babysitting" meant.

 _It meant,_ cleaning the house, watering the plants her many (many) plants, and WATCHING TWO TEENAGERS.

He was barely an adult, why is she making him watch two brats?

"Dude, you're looking kinda red in the face there." Melanie stated plainly.

"My name is not  _dude_ , kid. It's Roy, Roy Harper."

"Oh," Miele walked back in, "We know." Miele handed Melanie a tablet, which the dirty blonde then looked down at. They started to walk around him like they were observing an animal.

"Roy William Harper, Jr.? Huh, really? Born July 13, 1991, from the Glades, boyfriend of local celebrity Thea Queen -," Melanie read.

"Raised on the streets, and apparently, you have several accounts of robbery on your record. In addition to that, there is breaking and entering, stealing a car, larceny, aggravated assault - anger issues I guess - oh, can't forget about the petty theft," Miele happily said as the twins simultaneously stopped prowling around him.

"Now," they breathed AT THE SAME FUCKING TIME, "Why would our big sister put YOU in charge of US?" They asked creepily. They're acting like he's in a horror movie. The way they were standing there really creeped him out.

"Uhhhh... I don't know. Don't judge a book by it's cover right?" he nervously laughed. "Hehe."

They didn't find it funny.

Then they huddled together and whispered between themselves. It was like they were plotting something. He would, most likely, be on the sour end of it.

"Okay!" they said.

_"What?"_

They just had this entire creepy vibe going on.

"F probably trusts you for some reason so you might as well make yourself at home." Melanie left with Miele in tow. 

 _Well isn't this gonna be a blast,_ he thought sarcastically as he followed them into the living room. The only adult-like figure in the room sat in a plush chair after the teenagers sat together on a couch.

Melanie deduced, "So you know Felicity because you're dating her boss's sister?"

"Yeah," Roy nodded as he leaned back and relaxed in the chair. "Well that's part of it," he turned his head and muttered.

"What?" Miele asked.

"Nothing!" he diverted quickly. He turned to the TV, which was probably on some lame TV show.

_Wait._

"How did you know all that stuff about me anyway?" he turned in his seat.

"Felicity taught us how to hack," Melanie told him distractedly.

"Plus, we're very smart." Miele added.

"If you're a friend of hers, then you should already know that she hacks," Melanie looked at him.

"I know that, but she told you two about that, and taught you?"

"Duh! Of course. It's one of her favorite hobbies. You know, besides plants and being a nerd," explained the blonde twin.

Yeah, he got that last one.

He just shrugged and reached for the remote.

"Don't. You. Dare," Miele threatened.

"What?" he asked, confused by how serious - Melanie? No, Miele. Well the strawberry blonde one - she was being. "It's just a remote."

The girl literally got up and snatched the remote from his reach and sat right back down. He could see the dirty blonde in his peripheral vision twitching her eyebrow (probably trying not to laugh) while looking at her phone.

 _Teenagers,_ Roy slumped back into his seat.  _Aren't they charming?_ Then he continued to look at whatever was on the channel they were watching.

He knew they were whispering about him across the room. He might have more control of the mirakuru now, but he still had enhanced healing, strength, - and hearing.

"I'm gonna tell him to have Felicity's mint chip, he might want it," Miele turned to her sister.

"Don't do that to the poor man," Melanie pulled her back. "He's been through enough already."

Miele huffed, "Fine," and leaned back into the couch.

"Besides," Melanie started, "When Felicity gets back, she might not only go off on him, but us too."

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

"You're seriously not gonna read any alerts from Starling?" Dick slightly turned his mouth to face her. From his peripheral vision, Felicity was still looking at her phone.

"No," she stated. "I'm even programming my phone not to. No  feed that has to do with Starling, Oliver Queen, the Queen family or anything else like that will pop up," she furiously with her thumbs.

"I thought you liked living in Starling?" Dick asked as he inclined his head while keeping one hand on the wheel. She didn't look that determined when they were at the airport. Or in the jet.

"I do," she responded, "But this trip technically counts as my vacation days. Those days will be ruined if I'm worried about whatever crazy shit is happening back there. I'm completely distancing myself. If I get a call from my boss about some work crisis,  _I will hang up,_ " she rambled.

"Damn, that's cold," he laughed. "So you're still at odds with your boss, I'm guessing?" he asked.

"You could definitely say that," she muttered as she crossed her arms.

Dick laughed, "What's the matter? Trouble in paradise?" He vaguely remembered her leaving with a "Have fun in Gotham loser!" before setting off for Starling.

"You witnessed some of that 'trouble' when you surprised me at the office, remember?" she looked over. "And that paradise involves terrorist attacks, being kidnapped, shot-"

"Wait, you got kidnapped? Shot? How? Why?" he asked in disbelief, taking his eyes off the road for a second.

"Keep your eyes on the fucking road Dick!"

"Okay! Fine! Then answer the damn question!"

"It's a long story okay," she looked ahead, "One we don't have time for because we're here!" She was relieved she didn't have to explain.

Dick smoothed his hand over the wheel as he turned into the parking lot of an expensive looking hotel. It was a large and beautiful building. In front of the entrance stood a water-fountain with three mermaid sculptures spewing out water in the middle of it. The fountain towered over well-tended to shrubbery that was trimmed to look like animals.

From the car they could see that each room had a balcony. The top floors, which were obviously the billionaire rich floors, had even larger balconies.

"There better be a spa here, if not, then I'll be thoroughly disappointed," she looked up at the building and slammed the doors shut after getting out of the car.

 "There probably is," Dick grunted as she left him to shoulder her duffel bag and grab his suitcase from the trunk. He gave the valet his keys as the genius absentmindedly talked.

"What do you mean, 'probably?'" She whipped her head. "Did you pay for this or did Stella? This is her type of scene anyway," they arrived at the entryway. 

 "Both," he walked to her with both of their luggage in hand. "Half and half," he shrugged the drooping duffel bag once again as it almost slipped off of his shoulder.

"I thought it best not to anger Bruce further by spending all of his money. He hasn't cut me off yet, so I guess that's a good sign," he let the bag drop down his shoulder and slide into his hand. He handed the bell hop their luggage and graciously gave him a tip. Dick muttered a small thank you as they walked to the front desk of the enormous building. The lobby was spacious enough to fit a zoo.

"Oh my God, you have no spine when it comes to your father."

"Hey!"

"I bet leaving to join the Titans was the first time you've ever stood up to him."

"Okay," he lamented,"But in my defense, he's..." Dick lowered his voice and ducked his head, "Batman. He can be scary."

"Oh, please. That's like saying Damian is a complete angel."

"I swear, he has a contingency plan for everything and everyone! Even himself! I'm surprised I haven't been cut off, or worse."

"Don't jinx it Grayson," she teased. "Besides, there are much worse things in the world than Batman," she drawled as they walked to greet the lady at the front desk.

"Hello, what can I do for you today?" The woman behind the desk stated, looking at Felicity with a grimace. Dick noticed to. The lady was acting as if there was no way she could be there unless she was a climber. Ever since being acquainted with Oliver, it's been happening more and more. Whatever.

Dick partially paid for their stay, so he spoke to change the air. "We're part of a party that's reserved for eight people, miss. It's on one of the penthouse floors," he said politely.

"Name?" the woman asked before she turned to her computer, poised to type.

"The penthouse is under the name Knight, Stella Knight," Felicity answered for him before crossing her arms.

"Okay," the woman said courteously, "I'll need your I.D.'s to identify you as one of the party members and..." the woman started to explain more but Felicity wasn't listening.

The sound of the elevator doors opening alerted her. She looked to her left and recognized one of the people who stepped out.

"Felicity!"

"Aisha!" Felicity abruptly left the lady speaking.

The two women reunited like they were long lost relatives. Dick noted how happy they were to see each other again. Everyone else in the lobby could tell too. They were pretty loud.

The desk lady had paused, bewildered at the squealing that was happening in the middle of the ground floor. She looked from the loud pair to Dick, eyebrows raised. Apparently, it was not proper etiquette to be happy to see your best friend.

"Yeah," Dick resigned, "She gets excited." He grabbed his I.D. off the counter and stepped away.

"Awww, I missed you so much girl," Aisha squeezed her in a hug.

"Awww, you talked to me the other day,  _girl_ ," Felicity squeezed back.

There stood Felicity's best friend (since their teenage years), Aisha Maverick. Well, one of them. The group has been inseparable for years. They get in touch frequently: visit, get together, go shopping, go clubbing, raising Hell, anything really. When one of them can't visit, (in most cases Felicity, cause of Starling being prone to anything and two teenagers) they all visited. Aisha didn't know how many times she shoved Felicity out of her bed, yelling, "Surprise bitch!" with the others. They're one of the few people who don't care if she's had her coffee yet or not. 

The blonde pulled away and looked at the woman in front of her. Her best friend was a dark skinned woman. Tall in height, with an athletic build because she's, well, athletic. Her hair was full of bouncy curls that almost reached her waist.The brown eyed beauty was the same age as Felicity. She wore a blue zip-up romper. The half-zipped garment showed the crop top that lied beneath.

"Now we can train and go shopping with Stella again," Aisha joked.

"Oh God no," Felicity visibly paled. Stella was, what you would call a shopaholic. She's one of those mom's who drag you around the store(s) and window shopping when you're obviously ready to go.

"Don't worry, I'm just joking with you," her curls bounced with her shoulders in a laugh.

"Oh thank goodness. To be honest, the only part I liked about your version of 'training' was the dancing and acrobatics. Not all the lifting weights and stuff."

"But you made up the routines!"

"And I regretted it."

They both huffed out breathy laughs. It was good to be around each other. They basically saw each other all the time, but still. It felt like old times. Old, old times...

"While it saddens me to interrupt this sweet BFF reunion, we have to get to our floor." Dick broke up the happy atmosphere.

"Dick," Aisha said, turning her head, "I didn't see you there."

"You know, that surprises me so much, since in still taller than you," he teased.

As long as Felicity's known her, Aisha has been the type of person to even make  _height_ a competition. The dark skinned woman rolled her eyes. "Come on," she led them back to the elevator. "By the way, Tessa let me know you two were here. She kept track of your signal. She's gonna bring up your lateness for sure," Aisha said, holding her own hands in front of her as they faced the elevator doors when they closed.

"Always the perfectionist," Felicity shook her head.

After a couple of minutes, the elevator dinged and they arrived on one of the top floors. The elevator doors slide open and they were immediately in the living room.

Well, it seemed that everyone  was there before her: Mona, Tessa, Timmy, Blair, and of course Stella. Just standing, and waiting.

_Well hello._

"Finally!" Stella, being the first to react, exclaimed as she hugged Felicity. 

Tessa looked at her watch. "It took her approximately one day, 5 hours, 3 minutes, and 36 seconds," she added on.

_To get to the hotel or to the penthouse?_

"Seriously Tessa? You timed her?" Mona said. Everyone else in the room collectively shook their heads.

"Yes," Tessa stated flatly, "I like to be precise when people are late."

"Honey-" Timmy pushed up his glasses with his index finger. His hand's wedding band glinted as he put his hand on her shoulder, below her short hair.

"What are you honeying me about?" she whipped her head to him. "Need I state the fact that you took 1 year, 9 months, 1 week, 15 hours, 17 minutes, AND 53 seconds to finally grow a pair and officially ask me out!"

...

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! (Wheeze) I'm so sorry Timmy," Stella giggled. "It's just so funny - (wheeze). I can't, I can't!" she braced her hand on her stomach.

Everyone else laughed. Well, except the married couple, and Dick. He _did not_ want Tessa to say anything about him. Or Stella. He didn't know them that well, but they can be very intuitive at times. And they have long memories.

Mona burst out laughing right behind Stella. Their faces were scrunched up from laughing so hard. It was like they couldn't stop themselves.

"What makes it even more funny - (wheeze) - is - (chuckle) that it's so true!" Mona cackled.

"He was always the shyest! He was always so confused why you were mad at him," Stella wiped a tear along with a piece of long hair from her face.

"To add to that, it took him even longer to ask me to marry him, it - " Tessa started.

"Anyway," Timmy cut her off awkwardly, "What took you so long, F?"

Dick felt sorry for Timmy. He'd felt that struggle. He's feeling it right now.

When they were all done laughing, Mona, Blair, Tessa, and Timmy each enveloped Felicity and Dick in a "nice to see you again" hug.

After Timmy shook hands with Dick, Aisha spoke. "Tessa told me these strays," she jammed her thumb at them, "Were here."

"What's up with the delay?" Blair asked, running a hand through her shiny red hair.

"Yeah, a world where Stella is early and you are late is not one is not one I want to live in," Mona voiced to Felicity.

"Hey!" Stella defended. "Being fashionably late is part of the lifestyle," she flipped her hair.

"I had to take care of somethings before I left Starling. Wait - Starling City is in California, how'd you guys get here before me. You just dropped everything?"

"Yes!" everyone else in the room (besides Dick) responded.

"Sweetie," Stella sympathized, "What did we talk about?" The other blonde rested a hand on her shoulder and looked at Felicity with her hazel eyes. She had a meaningful look on her face.

"If your rich, then you don't have to worry about anything. Everything else is taken care of for you."

Felicity slapped Stella's tanned hand off of her shoulder.

Blair chipped in, eyeing Stella with her own cyan eyes, "That's just her way of saying she missed you and she wants you to live a good life." Blair felt the need to translate because Stella was always the dramatic, eccentric one.

"Stella, we can't all be famous fashion designers like you," Felicity sighed. The other blonde made sure to send her her fashion magazines. And any articles written about her. And photos of her in Paris and Milan. It was nonstop. Felicity had to be glad that she found her passion though.

"You think I'm famous?" Stella asked, hand poised over her chest and very flattered.

"Stella!" they all exclaimed to her.

"Fine. If she wants to be a regular executive assistant at a fortune 500 company, then she can," she huffed while crossing her arms. "She could take over and become CEO, but nooooooo. I guess some people like the simple life. 

"Stella," Felicity warned, "When we came here, I told all of you to blend in. Did any of you listen to me? No! Now if one of you get caught on the job because someone recognized your face, I TOLD YOU SO!"

Tessa began, "But to be frank with you, Stella's kind of right about the company thing." Aisha nodded with her.

"Please, I'm not going to usurp my boss."

Blair ridiculed, "Why are you guys telling her to do this. She didn't get involved in trouble at all before she met us."

"Yeah," Felicity stopped her, "That's not exactly true." Felicity didn't even expect Blair to not listen to her warning. The redhead was a famous artist and she's not even dead.

Mona, going back to what Blair said, "Need I remind you that the many times we snuck out got in trouble was because of YOU," Mona put her hands on her hips.

"They seemed like good reasons at the time," the redhead pouted.

Aisha interrupted, "Can we not do this and recap for a bit? Before we, you know, have to do actual important stuff?"

 _Oh my God, they had finally stopped,_ Dick thought. He had been standing next to the only other male in the room, waiting. Him and Timmy looked at each other.

"You want a beer?" Timmy offered.

"Sure," Dick shrugged. They left the women in the room to catch up and talk.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

RING

RING

RING

 _Voicemail. Again._ Oliver thought as he jammed his phone into his pocket.

"Why isn't she answering?" Oliver didn't mean to ask out loud.

_There's a fucking pyscho going around Starling killing people and she's taking a vacation. They hadn't found anything on the killer yet. It was like the killer was a ghost. At least they knew the MO: light skin, red hair, blue eyes._

 "It is a completely viable option that she is blocking you." Dig chewed on his fries from Big Belly Burger. "Bet that hasn't ever happened to you before, huh?" He leaned back in his seat in front of the computers.

"What?"

"Never mind."

It wasn't the same, being in the foundry without Felicity. They had always ate Big Belly Burger together. Also, it was getting quiet in the foundry without her. Oliver wasn't really a conversationalist. And no one really wanted to talk to Oliver anyway.

Maybe Oliver will stop calling Felicity when Sara comes. Her shift at the bar was almost over anyway.

"Where's Roy anyway?" Oliver asked.

"I told you. He's house sitting for Felicity man. He'll only be able to come to the foundry and train during some daylight hours."

"Oh," Oliver scratched his head, "That slipped my mind."

 _A lot of things seem to have been slipping his mind lately,_ Dig thought.

"What slipped your mind?" Sara said as she stepped down the stairs.

"Nothing, I just - "

RING

The boy visibly scrambled to get his phone from his pocket. Dig shook his head at Oliver's obvious feelings.  _He was so long gone and he didn't even know it._

Oliver grabbed his phone and looked at the caller I.D.

 _Oh,_ Oliver thought.  _It's Thea._

He had never been so disappointed to see a call from his sister.

The CEO answered it anyway. "Speedy?" he answered.

"Oliver, why is my boyfriend asking for help from your assistant's apartment?"

"Uhhhhh?" Oliver covered the phone and mouthed, "Felicity's apartment?"

"Why don't you ask him," Oliver returned to the phone.

"He refuses to tell me why, he said 'you have to see it for yourself,'" she quoted.

Oliver knitted his eyebrows together, "Why would Roy be having trouble at her apartment?"

Sara's eyes bulged out of her head at that question. _Did he find those pictures she saw? Or worse, did she make him baby-sit and that's why he hasn't been in the foundry? Why would Felicity, a very smart person, trust Roy to baby-sit a couple of children?_

"You know what?" Thea sighed in Oliver's ear. "I'll just go over there. He gave me the address. Bye Ollie," the phone hang up.

Oliver held the phone away from his ear. He looked at it confusedly.

Dig asked, "What was all that about?"

Oliver shrugged, it was weird. He didn't know whether to be confused or worried. Or possibly both.

Sara slowly raised her hand in the air.

"I think I know."

"What do you mean? It was probably just a weird call?" Dig reasoned.

Oliver turned to her,"Yeah, what  _do_ you mean Sara?"

_Oh shit. Trapped. No turning back now. Should've kept my damn mouth shut._

She started to nervously rub her hands together. "You see..." she started slowly, "When I went to Felicity's apartment..."

"Take your time Sara," Dig told her.

"When I went to Felicity's apartment... I noticed something..."

"You noticed..." Oliver egged her on.

"I noticed a picture..."

"You're getting there," Dig helped her find her words.

"I noticed a picture...of two baby girls..."

 _What's the significance in that?_ Oliver questioned.

"Then there were pictures when the baby girls were toddlers. Then as kids. Then a picture of the kids... with Felicity."

 _Well that's not bad_ ,Oliver thought at first.

...

_Oh._

_OH!_

Dig finally put a voice to what she was implying. "Are you saying that Felicity was...what? A teen mom?"

Sara raised her hands in surrender. "I'm just telling you what I saw. I don't know. I don't judge. There are some great teen moms out there. I'm sure she would be one."

Oliver was hurt and confused. She had another whole life they didn't know about. They had assumed she was on her  own. That she had no family in Starling. Day in and day out, she worked right beside him. All along he had no idea who she really was.

_Wait?_

The worked him the team constantly. She stayed on the team, working into the wee hours of the morning. She had spent many sleepless nights in the foundry and she never even once complained. She kept her bubbly smile.  _And she had kids at home._

It was their fault that they didn't know really. They'd always thought that, "Oh no, she's such a positive person, she could never keep secret about herself." To think about it, they'd never thought to ask.

 "Also," Sara interrupted his thoughts. "Roy's at her house, watching them most likely," Sara dropped the bomb.

 "What?" both Oliver and Dig exclaimed.

 _Why in the world would she let Roy watch her kids?_   _Not that he'd be any danger to him in his right mind, but he's a mirakuru soldier with anger issues. He can't even handle slapping a bowl of water without breaking it? He could break her house or something._

Dig abruptly stood up.

"I'm getting the car."

"Right behind you," Oliver grabbed his jacket.

"Oh crap," Sara muttered.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

As soon as Dig parked the car, the three of them scrambled out of it. They were behind because of traffic. Thea was most likely there already.

They walked into the apartment complex, shared an elevator, and hurried to Felicity's door. Oliver pounded the door with his fist, "ROY!"

Dig and Sara were sure he was about to break in the door, then door opened before he could.

Thea was surprised to see him, "Ollie?"

Oliver, Dig, and Sara rushed into the doorway and looked around. Good, nothing was broken.

"I didn't think you'd come to help with the situation," she said truthfully.

Dig questioned, "What, exactly is the situation?"

"Did someone say my name?" Roy called out at that moment.

The former street thug walked in and _OH MY GOD_.

So, as it turns out, Roy was not putting anyone in danger. He was the one in danger. Dig felt bad for not having more faith in him.

He was covered...in glitter?

It was on him from head to toe. The clothes, under the clothes, all in the hair. You could tell he came from the bathroom because he left a trail leading back to it.

It would be funny if Roy didn't have an intense, almost mirakuru anger, look on his face. At least he didn't have his hoodie.

Sara was the first to ask, "Roy...what...um, happened?"

Roy started breathing heavily, "Don't ask me what happened," he then silently pointed to the living room. Glitter from his arm sparkled as it fell to the grown.

"Ask those little monsters laughing at me in there!"

"Babe," Thea told him, "It's not that serious."

"It's not that serious? It's not that serious? I have glitter in my fucking underwear!" He frantically tried to shake the glitter off.

Thea explained to them while keeping an eye on her boyfriend. She leaned over to the others and whispered, "He got pranked with a glitter bomb."

"Seriously?" Sara asked.

"This isn't some sitcom about bad children," Dig said.

"What's a glitter bomb?" Oliver asked.

Thea sighed and face palmed, "It's in the name Ollie."

"Roy," Oliver called, "Did the kids do that to you."

"If by kids, you mean those conniving little devils, then yes."

"You know what? You can watch them. I'm done for the day." Roy switched spots with them and folded his arms, shaking off glitter with every movement. Dig, Oliver, and Sara walked into the living room.

"You know, I think you look cute with glitter," Thea teased.

"Not. Another. Word."

When the others walked in the room, they expected two bad children running around and wreaking havoc.

 _Instead_ , they found two teenagers on their phones. They were bewildered.

"Roy!" Oliver called.

"Oh my fucking God, really?" Roy walked into the living room. "What?" The girls looked up at him.

"Care to introduce us to these  _kids_?"

"Fine," Roy said sarcastically. "Meet the sisters of the infamous Felicity Smoak. Melanie and Miele Smoak," gestured with his glitter covered hand.

"Hi Roy," the strawberry blonde, Miele, said with faux happiness.

He crossed his arms, "Shut up."

" _Touchy,_ " Melanie mockingly crossed her arms back at him.

Oliver, who still stood there with his mouth agape, asked, "So..., they're, um," he swallowed, "Felicity's sister's?"

Roy scrunched his face, "Of course they are Oliver."

"What did you think they were, her kids?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So when do you guys want me to start doing flashbacks? Cause I don't want to drag this entire 'hints and references without context' thing for too long (and make it get old). I was a fanfiction reader for a long time before I became the writer. So, I'm trying not to do all those things writers did that annoyed me.
> 
> You know what, comment your questions. If I can insert a small flashback that goes well with what I've already set up, then I will. I don't like all flashback chapters (or episodes). It'll just be a small flashback that won't give the entire plot away.
> 
> Thank you beautiful readers!!!


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